Doddington Hall launches eco-friendly home delivery service

18 Mar 2020

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A MINI electric provided by Soper of Lincoln will deliver a range of Farm Shop products right to your doorstep. The Farm Shop will also open an hour earlier for high risk groups.

Doddington Hall & Gardens has partnered with Soper of Lincoln to launch an eco-friendly home delivery service to help elderly and vulnerable people who need food and essentials during the coronavirus outbreak.

Fresh fruit, vegetables, locally sourced meat, frozen meals, tinned provisions, bread, flour, drinks and much more can be ordered and discussed over the phone. The Farm Shop team will then price up an order, call the customer back and arrange delivery within 24 hours.

A MINI electric, courtesy of Soper of Lincoln, will be driven by a member of the Farm Shop team to deliver provisions on doorsteps or in a designated safe place.

In response to the demand for produce in stores, Doddington Hall’s Farm Shop will also be open 8-9am Monday-Friday exclusively for over 65s and high risk groups to do their shopping in a calm and quiet environment. The gardens will also be free for these groups between 8-10am Monday to Friday for some fresh air and a quiet stroll through the tranquil grounds, where Spring is blooming beautifully.

Anyone who is unable to get out to the shop during this time can call Doddington Hall’s friendly Farm Shop team on 01522 688581 between 9.30am-4.30pm from today.

Sarah Hall, Farm Shop manager at Doddington Hall, said:

“We’ve taken the initiative to launch our Farm Shop home delivery service because we know that there are many people who can’t get out at the moment, from elderly people to vulnerable groups.

“Orders are being taken over the phone so our customers will talk to real people, have a chat to feel a little less lonely and discuss the items that they need - from cupboard staples to delicious treats to lift their spirits.

“We’re so grateful to Soper of Lincoln for getting on board so quickly with our new service and want to extend our thanks to the team for providing a brand new MINI electric so we can deliver across our communities in the most environmentally friendly way possible. It’s a real testament to the power of local organisations coming together and supports our ethos of community and sustainability.”

The delivery vehicle is the first fully electric MINI vehicle and will enable the Farm Shop team to not only help the public, but do so in an environmentally friendly way.

Bryan Sleaford, Head of Business at Soper of Lincoln said:

“It’s fantastic to have partnered with Doddington Hall to help make these uncertain times a little easier for people in our community.

“We were immediately onboard with the idea of a Farm Shop home delivery service and have provided a brand new MINI electric vehicle to the team so they can do home drop offs in the most eco-friendly way.

“At Soper of Lincoln, we recognise the importance of organisations and individuals going green, something that Doddington Hall is also passionate about too, so being able to put an electric car to use for such a good cause is really uplifting.”

Claire Birch, owner of Doddington Hall, added:

“We would like to reassure our visitors that we are adhering to the guidelines issued by the British Government, Public Health England and the National Health Service regarding coronavirus.

“We are doing all we can to work with the issued guidance and we are monitoring the situation closely. Doddington is a very clean and calm environment and we are looking at how we can best help the local community during this time of unprecedented uncertainty and support mental wellbeing.

“With beautiful open spaces, spacious shops and a calm atmosphere, we would like you to enjoy a happy and healthy visit to Doddington safe in the knowledge that we are doing all we can to work according to the issued guidance. Let’s all do our bit to help slow the spread and keep our communities healthy by following the latest official guidance.”

Free home delivery is available within 10 miles of Doddington Hall. Delivery will cost £3 for 10+ mile radius, with a maximum delivery radius of 25 miles.

Doddington Hall’s Café remains open daily with delicious seasonal food and homemade cakes available. The highest standards of cleanliness are adhered to, as well as distancing between tables and increased cleaning in high risk areas.

The Farm Shop will be open to the general public from 9am-5pm, and the gardens will be open daily from 11am-3pm at a heavily discounted rate of £3.50 per adult (children free) with all proceeds going towards the conservation and upkeep of the Doddington Estate.